Try as they might, Calgary entries in the boys’ section of the 2018 Mac’s AAA midget hockey tournament couldn’t provide a team for the local fans to cheer on in the New Year’s Day final. But there should be plenty of entertainment nonetheless.

Thanks to a goal by Rylan Burns, the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs booked their ticket into the final by defeating St. Albert 1-0 in one semi-final on Sunday afternoon. In the other semi, played late in the evening, Regina Pat Canadians needed triple overtime to defeat the New York Jr. Islanders 2-1.

So after six days of exciting major midget play, Red Deer and the Pat Canadians meet in the 4 p.m. final at the Scotiabank Saddledome. They will be preceded at noon by the girls’ championship tilt between the Rocky Mountain Raiders and the Prince Albert Northern Bears.

Red Deer made it into one semi-final by beating the Lethbridge Hurricanes 3-1 at Father Bauer Arena in the morning. Josh McNeil, Deegan Mofford and Daylan Kuefler did the damage for the Chiefs.

In the other morning quarter-final, this one at Max Bell Arena, the St. Albert Raiders nipped the Calgary Northstars 2-1. The Northstars received a strong performance in net by Blake Pilon, but could get only one goal from Nicholas McCarry, while Brady Nicholas tallied a pair for the Raiders.

The Jr. Islanders, the most experienced team in the tournament, scored first in their back-and-forth match against Regina, Nick Seitz connecting on the powerplay. The Pat Canadians got that one back in the third period and more time would be needed to decide this entertaining one. Islanders goaltender Anthony Aureliano was extremely sharp as he faced 36 shots in regulation, while his mates managed 21.

After a scoreless first overtime, Regina had a massive opportunity when they went on a five-minute powerplay, but despite shot after shot, were not able to beat Aureliano, who was his team’s player of the game. After the extra 40 minutes, the Pat Canadians had 52 shots to New York’s 29.

Finally, at 4:53 of the triple OT, Taylor Halbgewachs managed to get the puck past the diminutive Islanders netminder.

Earlier in the day, the New York entry defeated the Calgary Buffaloes 4-1, on goals by Seitz, Michael Leva, Jack O’Leary and and Jon Olson. Layne Sniher was the lone goal scorer for Calgary. The Pat Canadians snuck past the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds 3-2 in another quarter-final, Matthew Culling playing hero by netting the winner at 4:45 of overtime.

In the girls’ semis, the Northern Bears’ Kate Ball scored at 13:35 of overtime as her team posted a 5-4 triumph over the Regina Rebels. In the other, Emma O’Reilly, Mallory Dyer and Laura Jardin tallied in the Raiders’ 3-0 blanking of the Delta Academy Prep. Stephanie Gross stopped 20 shots for the shutout.

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